For Immediate Release
Rhonda Motil
MCVGA
831-375-9400
Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association Seeking Artist to Provide Rendition of Monterey Wine Country
Winning artist's work will be featured as the theme for the 12th Annual Winemakers' Celebration
Monterey County, CA- March 1, 2004 - The Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association (MCVGA) is pleased to be hosting the 12th Annual Winemakers' Celebration on Saturday, August 21, 2004 from 12:00 - 4:00 at the Custom House Plaza in downtown Monterey. To celebrate the event, MCVGA is once again soliciting local artists to provide a piece of art that they feel best represents Monterey Wine Country. The winning rendition will be reproduced for the event poster, brochure and other merchandise. The original art piece will be donated to the Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association for use in the Winemakers' Celebration auction.
The specifications for the 2004 MCVGA art competition are as follows:
Artist must be living, working, or studying in Monterey County
All two-dimensional media will be considered
Must be "wine-themed"
Finished product must be no smaller than 11" x 17" and no bigger than "30 x 40" - both vertical and horizontal images will be considered. Artwork does not need to be framed.
"This competition initially began as a way to celebrate our 10th year of the Winemakers' Celebration. However, we had such a great response from local artists that we've opted to make the competition an ongoing component of the event. It's a wonderful way to get the community involved in the Winemakers' Celebration," commented Tamara Weinstein, Events Director for MCVGA. She continued, "Last year we received watercolor paintings, collages, prints, and digital works. The wide range of formats and themes that we received speaks to the diversity of Monterey Wine Country and all that we have to offer. The quality of entries was so wonderful that we actually selected two winners! "
Last year's award recipients were Ms. Laura Carley and Mr. Dan Koffman. The "Another Glass" digital montage by Ms. Carley captured the variety of Monterey County wines and the "United by Wine" print by Mr. Koffman sent a message of camaraderie and unity that that was fitting in describing the members of the Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association.
When commenting on their awards, Ms. Carley stated, "I enjoyed creating the wine glass images as they combine three passions of mine - art, photography, and wine. It's an honor to have this work selected to help promote the Winemakers' Celebration." Mr. Koffman expressed similar sentiments as he noted, "People are passionate about wine and my art is all about people's passions. Finding commonalities in the world today is very important and being united by wine is a great first step."
The Winemakers' Celebration draws 2,000 wine enthusiasts each year and features wine tasting from over 35 Monterey County wineries, educational exhibits, food sampling from local restaurants, live music, and a silent auction.
Artwork submissions must be delivered to the MCVGA office at 400 Camino Aguajito, Ste.1 Monterey, CA 93940 by April 1, 2004. The office is open weekdays from 9am to 5pm. Please contact Tamara Weinstein at (831) 375-9400 or events@montereywines.org with questions.
About MCVGA
The Monterey County Vintners & Growers Association (MCVGA) brings together the talents and resources of members, partners and our community in order to promote and support our leadership in the art, the science and the business of wine. Founded in 1974, MCVGA is a non-profit organization representing over 65 vintners and growers in Monterey County. To find out additional information about the members of MCVGA please call 831-375-9400 or visit online at www.montereywines.org
